Born Into Emptiness
by paddywhacked
Summary: I always knew that she would be the one that kept me sane...or as close to sane as someone such as I could be. But I never realized that she would be the one to save me from myself. Formerly "To Journey Together"
1. How Could They Know

Tempeste Lajeunesse brushed a lock of her dark black hair behind her ear and pouted her lips. Her mother had yet to refuse this face. Madame Lajeunesse simply shook her head at her young daughter and continued to walk. Tempeste stared after her in shock. Her mother had just said no to her? And when her request had been so noble. All she had wished to do was return the Debruyne's little dog, Sasha.

"But, Maman! Be reasonable." Tempeste argued.

"No... Tempeste. No, no, no! I will not have you seen associating with that monster and his riff-raff mother... you are above them." Madame Lajeunesse responded, staring at her five-year-old daughter down her nose. Tempeste made a face and stamped her foot angrily.

"Maman... how could you be so judgmental!"

"Now, see here young lady... your father has worked very hard for his social standing, do you hear? I won't have you ruining our good name with some childish folly over a dog!" And with a huff she began to walk down the park path. Tempeste narrowed her eyes and bit her lower lip.

"I'll catch you up Maman... I lost my ribbon." She called, carefully scooping the tiny dog up into her arms. Before her mother had a chance to turn and see her daughter's offending action Tempeste had disappeared into the brush and was running off for the Debruyne's small cottage at the edge of town.

The Debruyne family consisted of Madeline and her son Erik. From the rumors Tempeste had heard Madeline was mad and her son was death incarnate, but of course being a naturally perky and optimistic child, Tempeste had conveniently forgotten all this. As she approached the house, she noted the well-tended gardens and the clean white picket fence. How could anyone not love such a house?

Tempeste set Sasha down on the stone walk and made her way up to the front door confidently. She raised her hand and knocked on the door sharply. What a sight she must have been, a stout little child, no taller than three feet, with her hair all flying and her jaw set in pure determination. One might have even laughed at the sight of her... at his own risk of course.

The door swung open to reveal a tall, thin boy. His face was hidden by a pure white mask and all that Tempeste could see were his lips, which were set in a stony grimace. His eyes were pale, she noticed, and they reminded her of the sea she had seen once when her parents had taken her on holiday to Calais.

"May I help you?" He asked coldly, remaining half-hidden in the shadows of the cottage. Tempeste gulped at the sound of his voice, like the angels the pastor spoke of at church. She had never even imagined such a voice. She was snapped out of her reverie when she noticed the boy was staring at her.

"Oh... I apologize Messieur. I believe I have come upon your canine." Tempeste replied, gesturing to Sasha with her hand. The boy's face lightened as he scooped the dog tenderly into his arms. Tempeste smiled at the touching reunion, and stared shyly at her shoes.

"Sasha... you naughty girl! Don't ever, ever do that again." He said, scratching the dog's ears affectionately. He put the dog down as suddenly as he had picked her up and cocked his head at Tempeste, as though he was surprised she was still there. "Yes?"

"I'm Tempeste Lajeunesse. How do you do?" Tempeste smiled, extending her hand. The boy stared at it as though it was somehow disconnected from her body.

"I don't bite you know." She said, giggling a little. He reached out slowly and grasped her hand, still staring at her cautiously. "And you are...?"

"Erik Debruyne." He answered shortly, shifting his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"Well, pleased to make your acquaintance." Tempeste answered, taking her hand back.

"The pleasure is all mine, mamselle." Erik replied cordially, although still cold. Just then a cold wind decided to blow across the front steps causing Tempeste to shiver, and rub her arms vigorously. Erik bit his lower lip and contemplated this site for a moment before opening the door wider and stepping aside, gesturing that Tempeste should step in. Tempeste looked over his shoulder once and then followed him inside without a second thought.

The night was silent and still Tempeste couldn't sleep. It had been three years since she met Erik and ever since she had lay awake at night in pure anxiety over his safety. The villagers were not the most understanding of people and Tempeste worried that the occasional rock-through-a-window, might someday become something much more serious. And her worries were not without justification.

Just as Tempeste was about to drift to sleep a loud roar jolted her awake. She slipped from between the covers and pulled on her robe. She ran down the stairs and opened the front door. The street was illuminated with an odd orangey glow, casting long twisting shadows on the darkened windows of the other houses. Tempeste turned her head to the source of the glow and her hand fluttered to her throat, her mouth open in horror.

There at the end of the street was a mob, all with torches ablaze and voices raised in rage. Without even thinking of getting her slippers or warmer covering she ran down the street at top speed, stumbling over the cobblestones, sometimes even over her own feet. She finally reached the mob and began to shove her way through, creeping between legs and under arms until she saw what they were all circling...

"SASHA!" She screamed out, lunging against an arm that was suddenly holding her back. She struggled desperately against them and screamed out to the yelping dog, lying defenseless on her side as several boys took their turns at kicking her. Tempeste even recognized some of the boys from her school taking turns at Sasha. The man who was holding her back shoved her roughly away blocking her view. Tempeste hit the ground with a thud, and began to struggle to get up when she heard a final anguished howl from Sasha. Tempeste let out an agonized cry and crawled toward where she could see the dog.

Sasha's fur was bloody and dirty, and her neck and legs were bent and twisted at odd angles. Just as Tempeste was about to pick Sasha up in her arms when she heard the front door to the Debruyne's home creaked open. Tempest closed her eyes hoping that the one who had opened it was not who she thought it was. But the cries from the crowd confirmed her suspicions.

"It's the monster!"

"Get Him!"

"Come to collect your precious dog, corpse?"

Tempeste covered her ears with her hands, screaming at the top of her lungs. Her eyes were streaming tears and her hands were stained crimson with Sasha's blood. Erik stepped out further from the door, his eyes twisted with rage. Tempeste tried to signal to him to go back in, but he looked as though he could see right through her.

"Erik! Erik, go back in!" she screamed.

"How could you do this to her?" Erik moaned, snatching the broken body into his arms.

The first to advance upon him were the young boys from Tempeste's class, next were the young men in the town, and finally the full-grown men. Erik didn't stand a chance. She heard his horrid scream before she saw the bloody knife and slashed mask raised high above her head for the crowd to see. A roar of approval went up from the mob.

No doubt they would have killed them if Tempeste hadn't dragged Erik, still clutching Sasha to his chest. His mask was gone and his sallow scarred skin was slashed in several places. Tempeste slammed the door behind her, leaning against it in exhaustion. She looked at Erik and slumped to the floor when she saw him. His shirt was stained with blood from a stab wound.

"Erik... my God, Erik. You're hurt. Come and lay down." She whispered, trying to lead him to the couch. He jerked away from her, not letting go of Sasha.

"I... have...to b...bury her." He said weakly, his breathing ragged.

"My Lord! What happened?" Madeline said, rushing down the stairs. Erik was already heading out for the back yard, and Tempeste knew that nothing could stop him, so she took the time to explain the whole situation to Madeline.

"And the worst thing is... my father was with them. Tell me why." She rasped.

"You know I can't." Madeline replied, touching Tempeste shoulder lightly.


	2. Let The Stars In The Sky

"I have to bury her."

Tempeste stared at Erik with wide, frightened eyes. It was snowing out; the ground was undoubtedly frozen through. There was no way he would ever be able to break through more than an inch or two. And he would be lucky with that considering the grievous wound he had in his side. Looking at Madeleine helplessly she followed after her friend, holding her nightgown up to keep it from trailing in the snow.

"Call for the doctor." She murmured, rushing out into the cold. The older woman nodded and hurried for the door, intent on reaching the other side of town as quickly and safely as possible. Tempeste closed her eyes, and stood by Erik's side as he struggled to cut through the stone hard ground. Tears pricked at her eyes and all she could do was stand there, clinging Sasha's stiffening body to her chest. "Erik."

He acted as if he didn't hear her at all, tossing more dirt on to the growing pile by his side. He had dug deeper than Tempeste expected and she was glad. She wanted to see the dog buried as badly as he, and as soon as the hole was deep enough she laid the small body gently into it. She reached out for Erik's arm in an attempt to lead him back into the house.

"She needs a requiem." He said quietly, kneeling at the head of the grave, shoveling the dirt on top of Sasha with his hands. Tempeste closed her eyes to keep back the tears and nodded. Behind her she heard Madeleine's soft voice.

"Forgive him…He is only a child. He knows not how he sins."

Tempeste was tempted to whirl on the stupid woman but Erik's voice, mingling with those of carolers on the street made her stop, her mind only able to focus on the sounds that were accosting her senses.

"Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison."

_Let the stars in the sky remind us of man's compassion  
Let us love 'til we die. And God bless us every one.  
In your heart there's a light as bright as a star in heaven._

_Let it shine through the night and God bless us every one._

"Come inside now." Tempeste mumbled softly, reaching for Erik's arm again. This time she reached just in time to catch him as he fell, weak from the blood loss and the physical labor he'd just subjected his tiny body to. Barely able to keep him up, Tempeste looked at Madeleine helplessly, signaling that she should grab the boy's feet.

It took the two a great deal of effort to make it to the drawing room couch, and once Erik was settled in what they hoped was a comfortable position, Madeleine went to the door to wait for Etienne, while Tempeste curled up on the couch next to her friend, stroking his hair, and singing him a lullaby they'd written together, what felt like ages ago.

"Child of the wildness, born into emptiness. Learn to be lonely. Learn to find the way in darkness."

When he didn't stir in her arms, she bit her lower lip and curled up next to him more tightly, her hand resting gently on his chest, feeling it rise and fall with each of his shallow breaths. From outside the window, the carols of Christmas still rang through the cold air, tormenting her with hypocritical turn-of-phrase.

_Let the stars in the sky remind us of man's compassion_

"Compassion indeed." She muttered quietly, too tired to become much more irritated. Closing her eyes she fell to sleep easily, comforted by the feel of her best friend next to her.

"We can put him somewhere, Maddie. Somewhere, where he'll be safe. Somewhere…where you can forget about him." The doctor's voice woke Tempeste from her dark dreams and she tightened her arm around Erik, when she heard his words.

"Are you quite sure he can't hear us Etienne?"

"I've given him more than enough, Madeleine. Don't worry so. You and I could be so happy together, and he'll be well taken care of."

Tempeste remained tense as she heard Madeleine take Etienne out into the hallway, out of her earshot. She felt Erik stir next to her and she squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to fall back to sleep and wake in the morning to find that it was all a horrible dream. When sleep claimed her again, it was fitful.

Her hand falling against the cold upholstery of the sofa woke her again, and she turned to see Erik, standing over her. He looked somewhat surprised to see her awake, but he still turned away and started to tip toe to the door.

"Where are you going?" She hissed, sitting up. "You'll hurt yourself."

"Go back to sleep." He mumbled, opening the creaky parlor door without a sound. Typical Erik grace. Tempeste stood hastily and scrambled to his side.

"I will not. And you'll tell me where you're going Erik Debruyne…or so help me."

Erik only shook his head and crept upstairs, Tempeste nipping at his heels. Her hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp when the entered his cell of a bedroom. On the floor was what could have been mistaken for an execution site. Madeleine's favorite statue…of Shepard boy had been carefully drawn and quartered and he lay in pieces on the ground between bits of shattered mirror.

"Oh Erik…what on earth have you done."

"Go back to bed, Tempeste. I don't need you following and slowing me down."

"I'll do no such thing. And I shan't just let you leave without so much as two words. I'm coming with you. I'm not about to abandon you. If you're leaving…whose to care for you?"

"I'll care for myself." He opened his bedroom window, carefully unscrewing the bars that kept him secluded from the outside world. Crawling out, he leapt into the arms of a near by tree, dropping gracefully to the ground. Shuffling after him, Tempeste dropped from the tree as well, into his unsuspecting arms. He set her down and turned her towards the door of the house.

"Back inside." He hissed.

"Care for yourself?" She nearly burst out laughing. "You couldn't care for yourself, you stupid boy. I'm coming with you and you aren't about to stop me. It's nearly Christmas and you aren't going to spend it alone." She straightened her hair, and looked towards her house down the street. "I need some clothes… where are we going?" Taking Erik's hand she tugged him, struggling all the way down the street.

"Tempeste."

She ignored him and crawled up the lattice outside her bedroom window with all child's agility and carefully grabbed a worn dress and a pair of her brother's pants and a shirt. Crawling back down she found Erik half way to the woods that surrounded town. Letting out an angry growl she ran after him, catching up just before he disappeared into the brush.

"I'm coming along, like it or not. Just accept it."

"Fine. Just…don't make too much noise. And try and keep up. And don't whine about dirtying your shoes like you always do."

* * *

Author's Note: I've put two songs in here…neither are really from this time period but the first, "God Bless Us Every One" from A Christmas Carol:The Musical seemed oddly fitting and the other "Learn To Be Lonely" touched me so much after seeing the movie that I decided it needed to be in the story, and even changed the title. Neither of those belong to me. Review, review, review. 


	3. And Soon It Will Be Day

Shivering quietly underneath her thin wool cloak, Tempeste followed Erik silently, trying her best to keep her word and not breathe so much as a syllable, even though her shoes were caked through with mud and she felt very much like sitting down and crying. Despite acting much older at times, she was still only 7 years old and she was starting to realize that even if she **could** manage to care for Erik...who would ever care for her? Sniffling slightly, she hurried her steps to catch up with her companion, staying a careful distance away to keep from pestering him. He was thinking, she could tell. His eyebrows were furrowed down, and he kept chewing his bottom lip...sure signs of a plan in the making, as far as Tempeste was concerned. He dropped her bag to the ground; he'd offered to carry it like a true gentleman earlier. Well, not quite like a true gentleman...there had been grumbling from his part and hysterical, over-tired tears from Tempeste's.

"We'll sleep here tonight." He said simply, straightening up. Tempeste stared at him as if he'd lost his mind and shook her head back and forth violently.

"Here? You can't possibly expect us to sleep here. Erik, there's snow on the ground. And snow falling, what's to protect us? We'll freeze to death." She looked about to start crying again and the last thing Erik wanted was for her to start crying again, the sound was most irritating.

"Hush. It will be fine. I'll build us some shelter and...we can try to make a fire. And we have...we have each other. We'll be fine." Tempeste nodded mutely, unsure of what to say to his suggestions. She was still quite certain they were going to freeze to death, but at the very least they would be freezing to death together.

"Shall I go look for firewood?" She asked softly. He nodded a little bit and she turned to go. Throwing out a hand absently, Erik wrapped it around her tiny wrist, pulling her back to stand in front of him.

"Don't go far. If you get lost here, I shan't be able to find you. So stay to the trees close-by...understood?"

Tempeste nodded and let her arm drop from his grasp. Wrapping her cloak more tightly about her, she began gathering little sticks and branches that weren't too wet from the snow. Even she knew that damp wood meant certain death for the two of them. Every noise from the wood, every hoot from an owl, and every howl of a wolf sent shivers down her little spine and soon she was rushing back to Erik, her arms full of branches. Her face was twisted up to keep herself from crying as she handed the wood over.

"You look quite unpretty with your face like that." Erik mumbled absently, taking the wood from her. He laid it in a small hollow he had made in the snow and used some rocks to send a spark on to them. From Tempeste's view it looked as if fire had shot straight out of his fingertips.

"Why should you care if I look pretty or not?" She spat back, falling down to sit next to the fire, holding her small hands out to chase the chill out of them.

"Well...one of us must look pretty, mustn't they? And I think you're the only one with a chance at that, don't you agree?"

Tempeste pouted her lip out further and refused to answer. She instead posed another question for him.

"Where are we to sleep?" She rubbed her tired eyes and pulled her knees to her chest. Erik gestured behind him to a small shelter made out of branches and leaves. It was no grand feat of architecture but to Tempeste it seemed the Taj Mahal. Nodding a little she pulled away from the fire. "I'm going to sleep."

Erik cast a wary glance at the fire...it would take ages to find fresh wood in the morning. But it was no good burning the forest down. Stamping out the flames with his little foot, he followed his friend into the little hut, laying on the ground next to her. He was about to turn his back to her and fall asleep when her arm wrapped around him, careful of his wound. She curled up against his chest and let out a sleepy sigh, whispering softly into the dark.

"I'm cold."

Chewing his bottom lip, Erik threw a little of his coat over her and put his arm around her. She sighed again, cuddling even closer. It was times like these that the small age difference between the two seemed ever-so clear to Erik. She was still very much a child. And he...well he had been on his own since the day he was born.

"Erik?" Tempeste's voice was somewhat muffled by her cloak, which she had pulled down over her face.

"Hm?" His eyes scanned the woods carefully, watching for anything out of the ordinary.

"Sing to me?" She paused and when he did not begin, she tilted her head up to look at him. "Please?" He let out a sigh and nodded a bit, giving in.

"Bonne nuit cher enfant. Quand tu dors dans mes bras le mond tourne en rond et le jour reviendra."True it was simple, not exactly the greatest of his musical repertoire, but it fit. Tempeste may have claimed that she was to take care of him, but he knew that she was his responsibility now, his child. And surprisingly, that didn't bother him in the least. So much better than being alone.

The night was long, and neither slept more than a few moments at a time, but they were warm enough, and dry enough to be reasonably comfortable. When sun's first light hit, Erik gently shook Tempeste awake and sat up. They were both hungry and he was going to need to find food soon. Leaving Tempeste with the job of finding more fire wood, he disappeared into the woods, searching for something that might provide sustinance to the both of them.

It was about two hours into the woods that he found it. A traveling carnival, stopped to rest in the woods. With any luck, it would still be there at night fall, and he could at least steal some grain from the horses to bring back. But he would have to be patient and wait. Turning on his heel, he crept back to the camp site, taking a seat next to Tempeste, explaining his plan in detail.

When night finally fell, the two children snuck back towards the gypsy encampment. Tempeste wrung her hands nervously...even from people as debase as the gypsies, she still felt squeemish about stealing.

"We need to survive, Tempeste. They won't miss it I promise you." Erik whispered, creeping towards the horses' feeding trough. Tempeste nodded and followed, her foot steps soft.

But something went wrong. The horses were not like so many other animals, calm around Erik. They began to stamp their hooves and whinny and rear and before the children could escape, strong arms were wrapped around them. A hand killed Tempeste's screams in her throat and the two were dragged into a near-by tent for interrogation...or at least Tempeste hoped there would be an interrogation and not just the execution.

"Trying to steal our horses, eh, thief?"

"Take off that mask and let us see who you are then."

Erik was struggling mightily, and though she couldn't see them, Tempeste knew that there were tears of pure terror in his eyes. She felt hot breath on her shoulder, a voice in her ear.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doing with a little monster like that?"

"TAKE OFF THE MASK!" The crowd was chanting it now and Tempeste's screams of protest were lost in the confusion. And then it was gone, the mask was removed and Erik's screaming died out. Tempeste couldn't tell if they had killed him or if he had just fallen unconcious, and she didn't care to know. Biting the hand that was holding her back, she struggled violently, attempting to reach her friend. But a sharp cuff to the side of the head sent her to ground, and into darkness.

* * *

AN: The song I used in this chapter is an old french lullaby to the tune of Brahm's lullaby. The translation is as follows : Good night dear child. When you sleep in my arms, the world turns around and the day returns. Or at least that's how I understand it to go. The next chapter is in the works and I'll be getting it out to you as quickly as possible. But for now, review review review. 


	4. I'd Save Him All The Suffering

When Tempeste's eyes fluttered open, she was immediately accosted by a pair of hands, pulling up into a sitting position. Fingers tangled into her hair, examining it. Another pair of hands took her wrists, examining them, pulling at the skin that covered the bone. The face of an elderly old hag peered into hers, examining every detail of her young face as if searching for something that lay behind the flesh and bone. Her gaze made Tempeste shudder and she tried to pull away, mewing slightly. Despite all her tough talk, she was still a child, and she was frightened and alone now. Her eyes couldn't spot Erik any where within the room she was being held in.

"She's lovely enough. I'm sure that customers would pay a pretty penny to see her dance." The elderly woman traced a finger over Tempeste's jaw and turned away, looking to the other's in the room, all younger women. "Let's see if we can't fix her up to be more like us, eh girls?"

Tempeste let out a tiny cry and struggled against the arms that held her back, the hands that tilted her face up. "Let me go." Her voice was more of a gasp than a scream, and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "Where is he...please? Please tell me where he is?"

"Where who is, my pet?" The older woman replied, rubbing at a spot of dirt on Tempeste's cheek. "The little monster you were traveling with? Don't you fret your pretty little head over him...he's not to trouble you any more."

Tempeste let out a tiny sob and twisted away, wriggling away from the grasping arms as only a child could. Backing away towards the flap of the tent, she held both her hands out, her eyes scanning the room for every possible means of escape.

"You tell me where he is. You tell me now." Taking another trembling step backwards she felt her bony shoulders collide with something soft. Turning around she came face to face with a tarnished belt buckle. Tilting her head up, she saw what was most likely the largest, most fearsome looking man she'd ever laid her young eyes upon.

"I'll show you where he is, girlie." He laughed. His belly shook when ever he spoke and it gave Tempeste the horrid mental image of holiday pudding that had been left out in the sun for too long wrapped in foul smelling cloth. The man grabbed her hand and nearly dragged her out of the tent. Tempeste had to run to keep up with his long strides and tears streamed down her cheeks the entire time. Oh, how weak she was. When she was thrust up against the cold metal bars of a cage, she didn't quite understand. Had the fed Erik to a beast of some kind. Scanning the corners of the cage, her eyes widened when she saw his tiny body curled up in a ball, bruises peppering his chest, and his hands held tightly over his face. Wrenching her arms away from the man's grasp she sprinted to the door of the cage, pulling and pushing at the lock futilely.

"Let him out! Let him out, you...you horrid beast!" She sobbed, reaching a tiny hand between the bars to touch Erik's sleeping form. The large man yanked her back before she could lay a hand on the boy, and sent his own hand across her face. She toppled to the ground, grasping her cheek.

"Don't touch the merchandise, girlie. You're in Javert's world now. And your little monster here belongs to me. And so do you. You keep away, you understand me?" He spat on the ground, rubbing over the saliva with his boot. "I see you near him and I'll break that little neck of yours." Tempeste swallowed hard and nodded, letting her eyes flicker over to Erik's form again. She would never be strong enough to free herself, or him. And so she let the gypsy women take her away and clean her up.

She refused to see the "performances" as Javert called them. She didn't see the art of tying a defenseless boy to the bars of a cage, parading a malady of birth before paying, prying eyes. And besides, seeing him like that would only remind her how very hopeless their situation was. She worked for her keep, dancing and cleaning when it was needed. Making sure that the men were fed, and that the other children stayed in line. The women of the camp treated her like a daughter...but still, she was no true gypsy, and she would never truly be one of them. But still, every night she would sneak out to Erik's cage with a bit of food and a comforting word, and sit with him until the sun started to rise again.

She was hanging laundry out to dry when she overheard the fateful conversation. At first she was frightened that Javert had finally gotten fed up with Erik's antics and was making to kill him. But when she managed to move a bit closer she heard what was truly going on.

"If you give me lilies...I can make them sing every night."

"And if I don't?"

"You'll keep losing money. I know that my struggling frightens the women. Give me only a bit of freedom and in return...you'll have my loyalty."

Erik's voice calmed Tempeste enough to allow her to continue her work, while still listening intently. She knew that if she was caught eavesdropping it would mean certain death, but she needed to know what was going on.

"What...sort of freedoms?"

"Give me back the mask..."

"I'll do no such thing! If you wear the mask no one will give me a damn penny to hear you and your voice from hell."

"...I'll...I'll remove it at the end of every performance. But only for a moment. And I want my own tent."

"Oh and is that all, your majesty? How do I know you won't run away?"

Erik's next words seemed to say everything and nothing all at once, and it tore Tempeste apart to hear them, for they rung far too true for her young ears. Somewhere in the back of her mind she had thought that they would return home to their mother's soon...that this was all just some childish game that would be over all in good time. But now she realized that she did indeed need to grow up, and fast because there would be no trip home. Only outward and onwards.

"I have nowhere to go."

The next day Erik had a tent set up on the very edge of camp. The children were all afraid of him, all avoided the powerful sorcerer. But Tempeste quickly made the tent her own, dragging her sleeping pallet in to lay next to his the moment she had the chance. And on his first night of freedom, they sat together, talking late into the night about the future...about what would happen to them.

"...I'm frightened." Tempeste whispered into the darkness. The candle had burned out long ago, and now the two children lay curled on their sleeping mats, fingers tightly entwined together.

"Don't be. I'll take care of you...I'll always take care of you." Erik hugged her tightly for a moment before pulling away, reaching down to tug his blanket up over him. "Get some rest Tempeste... you'll need it for tomorrow." The little girl nodded and curled up tight, holding his hand to her chest.

"Erik?"

He opened one eye sleepily and let out a sigh. "What?"

"I love you."

"Mmhm." He closed his eye again and let out a yawn.

"Don't you love me back."

"Go to sleep."

"You're insufferable."

"And you're irritating. Go to bed."

"Fine."

A thick silence fell over the room, as Tempeste lay dejected on her pallet, mad enough to spit. Taking a deep breath, that turned quickly into a yawn she spoke again.

"Erik?"

"Oh for God's sake, what?"

"Do you really think I'm irritating?"

"No...now go to sleep."

Smiling contentedly, Tempeste cuddled into her blanket and closed her eyes. Perhaps the gypsy life wouldn't be so horrid after all.

* * *

AN: Sorry for how poor this chapter is, but it's really only a plot mover... I hope you enjoyed it anyways. I was reluctant to write anything so obviously centered around Tempeste because she isn't really the focus of the story but for now it will just have to be accepted. Review as always.


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